PACIFIC ISLANDS, TRUST TERRITORY OF THE (Palau) GEOGRAPHY Total area: 458 km2; land area: 458 km2 Comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 1,519 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 12 nm; Continental shelf: 200 m (depth); Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 3 nm Climate: wet season May to November; hot and humid Terrain: islands vary geologically from the high mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs Natural resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products; deep-seabed minerals Land use: arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and woodland NA%; other NA% Environment: subject to typhoons from June to December; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain Note: important location 850 km southeast of the Philippines; includes World War II battleground of Peleliu and world-famous rock islands PEOPLE Population: 14,411 (July 1991), growth rate 0.7% (1991) Birth rate: 25 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: - 12 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 26 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 74 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: noun--Palauan(s); adjective--Palauan Ethnic divisions: Palauans are a composite of Polynesian, Malayan, and Melanesian races Religion: predominantly Christian, mainly Roman Catholic Language: Palauan is the official language, though English is commonplace; inhabitants of the isolated southwestern islands speak a dialect of Trukese Literacy: 92% (male 93%, female 91%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980) Labor force: NA Organized labor: NA GOVERNMENT Long-form name: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (no short-form name); may change to Republic of Palau after independence; note--Belau, the native form of Palau, is sometimes used Type: UN trusteeship administered by the US; constitutional government signed a Compact of Free Association with the US on 10 January 1986, after approval in a series of UN-observed plebiscites; until the UN trusteeship is terminated with entry into force of the Compact, Palau remains under US administration as the Palau District of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Capital: Koror; a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast in eastern Babelthuap Administrative divisions: none Independence: still part of the US-administered UN trusteeship (the last polity remaining under the trusteeship; the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas have left); administered by the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of Interior Constitution: 11 January 1981 Legal system: based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws National holiday: Constitution Day, 9 July (1979) Executive branch: US president, US vice president, national president, national vice president Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Olbiil Era Kelulau or OEK) consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Delegates Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State--President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989); represented by the Assistant Secretary for Territorial Affairs, US Department of the Interior, Stella GUERRA (since NA July 1989); Head of Government--President Ngiratkel ETPISON (since 2 November 1988) Political parties: no formal parties Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: President--last held on 2 November 1988 (next to be held November 1992); Ngiratkel ETPISON 26.3%, Roman TMETUCHL 25.9%, Thomas REMENGESAU 19.5%, other 28.3%; Senate--last held 2 November 1988 (next to be held November 1992); results--percent of vote NA; seats--(18 total); House of Delegates--last held 2 November 1988 (next to be held November 1992); results--percent of vote NA; seats--(16 total) Member of: ESCAP (associate), SPC, SPF (observer) Diplomatic representation: none; US--US Liaison Officer Lloyd MOSS; US Liaison Office at Top Side, Neeriyas, Koror (mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Koror, Republic of Palau 96940); telephone 160-680-920 or 990 Flag: light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side ECONOMY Overview: The economy consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing. Tourism provides some foreign exchange, although the remote location of Palau and a shortage of suitable facilities has hindered development. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. GDP: $31.6 million, per capita $2,260; real growth rate NA% (1986) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: 20% (1986) Budget: revenues $6.0 million; expenditures NA, including capital expenditures of NA (1986) Exports: $0.5 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities--NA; partners--US, Japan Imports: $27.2 million (c.i.f., 1986); commodities--NA; partners--US External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 16,000 kW capacity; 22 million kWh produced, 1,540 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: tourism, craft items (shell, wood, pearl), some commercial fishing and agriculture Agriculture: subsistence-level production of coconut, copra, cassava, sweet potatoes Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $2 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $62.6 million Currency: US currency is used Exchange rates: US currency is used Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September COMMUNICATIONS Highways: 25.7 km paved macadam and concrete roads, otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads (1986) Ports: Koror Airports: 2 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: stations--1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station DEFENSE FORCES Note: defense is the responsibility of the US and that will not change when the UN trusteeship terminates